Streamside Imitations by J Deshefy Jr

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Streamside Imitations by J Deshefy Jr A page created to document my adventures in fly fishing and fly tying.

Articulated Golden StoneAs I continue working on articulated stoneflies, I decided to tie an articulated version of a st...
10/09/2026

Articulated Golden Stone

As I continue working on articulated stoneflies, I decided to tie an articulated version of a stonefly pattern that’s already part of my lineup, this time in a golden stonefly variation.

Golden stoneflies can be extremely productive during the Spring months during the steelhead drop-back season on the Salmon River. And honestly, anywhere you find golden stoneflies, this pattern will produce.

For the abdomen, I wanted to maintain that distinct cylindrical profile. I used Fly Fish Food Small Stonefly Chenille in Brown and Ginger, covered with 3 mm Fulling Mill Scud Skin, and segmented with small gold wire for added durability. A pair of rubber legs completes the rear section.

For the thorax, I kept the same material combination but switched to 4 mm Scud Skin to create a larger profile. Using the wrapping technique itself, I was able to achieve the segmentation I was looking for without adding unnecessary materials. A pair of rubber legs and a 1/8-inch gold tungsten bead round out the front section.

One of the most important characteristics of a stonefly imitation is the contrast between the dark exoskeleton and the lighter underbody. With this combination of materials and wrapping techniques, I was able to achieve that contrast while maintaining the cylindrical profile and segmentation characteristic of a golden stonefly nymph.

Today we continued our look at the Plain Coachman, dressing it up a little with some gold ribbing to reinforce the peaco...
10/08/2026

Today we continued our look at the Plain Coachman, dressing it up a little with some gold ribbing to reinforce the peacock herl and make the tag a little more pronounced. We finished it off with a red head adding a touch of color to an otherwise traditional pattern.

Today was also mail day from J Stockard Fly Fishing! A few tying supplies I needed were running low, and I picked up a book I’ve been wanting to add to my library: Flies for Steelhead by Dick Stewart and Farrel Allen.

This is a beautifully put-together book, with quality photography, detailed material lists and recipes, and a little history behind the patterns. It was also nice to come across a few flies tied by an acquaintance of mine, Fran Verdoliva.

Naturally, I gravitated toward the nymph section, where one pattern immediately caught my eye: the Blackstone, submitted to the book by Steve Forster of The Backcast Fly Shop in Benzonia, Michigan.

What drew me to this pattern was its simplicity. Having just tied the Plain Coachman, I already had the peacock herl out on my bench, making this an easy choice for my next tie.

I tied mine on an old Mustad 37160 in size 10 following the original recipe with a few small adjustments of my own.

I added a fine black wire rib to reinforce the peacock herl, substituted turkey feather for the wing case in place of the black duck or goose.
Sometimes, the simplest patterns are the ones that catch your attention. With a little peacock herl, a few basic materials, and a proven design, the Blackstone is a great example of keeping things simple while creating an effective fly for steelhead

Plain Coachman — A Classic Steelhead PatternGoing back through some of my steelhead references, I came across the Plain ...
10/07/2026

Plain Coachman — A Classic Steelhead Pattern

Going back through some of my steelhead references, I came across the Plain Coachman on page 52 of Steelhead Fly Tying Manual by Tom Light and Neil Humphrey.

There is something undeniably special about peacock herl. Its metallic blue-green tone provides a subtle flash that has made it one of the most versatile and enduring materials in fly tying. As Light and Humphrey point out, peacock herl has found its way into countless fly patterns, used in bodies, butts, ribs, heads, wings, and toppings.

For this version of the Plain Coachman, I stayed true to the original dressing and did not reinforce the peacock herl body. Although herl is relatively fragile, sometimes there is value in tying a historical pattern as it was originally intended.

Hook: Mustad 36890 Salmon, size 10
Thread: UTC 70, Red
Floss: Uni-Floss 601, Olive
Tinsel: UTC Mylar, Small — Gold & Silver
Hackle: Whiting American Hen Cape, Brown
Body: Peacock Herl

There are certainly modern ways to reinforce a peacock herl body, thread, tinsel, or wire can all be used but for this one, I wanted to preserve the character of the original pattern.

Another classic from the steelhead tying literature that deserves a place in the fly box

Chapman Stonefly NymphTonight’s tie has a little more history behind it than usual.Bob Jacklin is an old family friend, ...
10/06/2026

Chapman Stonefly Nymph

Tonight’s tie has a little more history behind it than usual.

Bob Jacklin is an old family friend, and I recently had a wonderful conversation with him. We talked about finally meeting up and hopefully, getting on the water together someday.

After our conversation that brought back so many memories of my grandparents and father, I received a package from Bob containing two of his fly-tying DVDs and two books to prepare for a trip out West.

One of the books was Fly Fishing Yellowstone in the Park, by Bob Jacklin and Gary LaFontaine. The other was Fly Fishing West Yellowstone: A History & Guide, by Bruce Staples and Bob Jacklin.

Naturally, I had to start thumbing through!

On page 270, I found the Chapman Stonefly Nymph, tied by legendary Yellowstone angler and fly tier Scotty Chapman, who began tying flies in the 1930s. The pattern is beautifully simple—peacock herl, reinforced and ribbed with tying thread, and a soft brown hackle.

As Datus Proper put it, simple and effective flies don’t need to be complicated to fool trout. Scotty Chapman understood that lesson decades ago.

So tonight, while tying inventory for the upcoming shows, I decided to tie a few of these and start putting together a box for the day I finally get the opportunity to fish Yellowstone and Montana.

Sometimes a simple fly carries a pretty big story.

For the most part, I really enjoy tying and developing stonefly patterns. There are definitely times when it gets a litt...
10/05/2026

For the most part, I really enjoy tying and developing stonefly patterns. There are definitely times when it gets a little overwhelming but worth it in the long run.

These patterns have consistently produced not only for me, but also for customers and anglers who have gotten them from me on the Ausable River in the Adirondacks, on the various rivers in the Catskills/Charm Circle, all the way out in the Pacific Northwest and of course, The World Famous Salmon River.

So I decided to tie up a beefier, articulated version of this pattern for steelhead. This is something I’ll personally be using, as well as making available to other anglers who are interested, from the beginning of the steelhead run, all the way through the Winter and into the drop-back season.

With the amount of tying I’m doing in preparation for the shows, my focus right now is on building as much inventory as possible for the anglers who will be attending. Because of that, I won’t be taking on additional orders between now and the end of the January show.

If there’s a pattern you’ve seen that you’re interested in and you’re unable to make it to either show, please feel free to reach out to me after January. I’ll be happy to get you on the list and put an order together for you then.

In the meantime, be sure to stop by the table, see what’s available, and check them out in person! 🎣

I always enjoy seeing other tiers’ tying spaces and I like how J Stockard Fly Fishing brings the fly-tying community tog...
10/02/2026

I always enjoy seeing other tiers’ tying spaces and I like how J Stockard Fly Fishing brings the fly-tying community together with different themes throughout the year. is a great opportunity to share ideas and learn from one another.

For me, a good tying space comes down to five things:

1️⃣ LIGHTING — You can’t tie what you can’t see. Make sure you have appropriate lighting. I’d rather have too much than not enough, especially when working with small hooks and fine materials.

2️⃣ COMFORT & SPACE — A good chair, proper support, and the right desk height makes a huge difference during long tying sessions. I custom-built my desk around my needs, including the height, to reduce leaning and reaching. With the volume of flies I tie—borderline commercial at times—I also needed the space.

3️⃣ ORGANIZATION — Everything has a place. I try to clean as I go and occasionally hit the reset button. A clean, organized space keeps me productive and makes me want to tie.

4️⃣ WORKFLOW — Arrange your tools and materials around the way you tie. The things I use most stay within easy reach.

5️⃣ FLEXIBILITY — Having room to move, change position, and step away from the vise is important during long tying sessions.

I’ve also found that a tying space should be more than a workspace. I surround myself with pictures of family, friends, and memories from the river. When I’m tying big numbers and things get overwhelming, those reminders take me right back to the river. It makes the room a place I enjoy being, not just a place where I work.

Whether you’re tying at the kitchen table or have an entire room dedicated to tying, these same principles can help make your space more comfortable and enjoyable!🎣

Tonight’s Tie — Rubber-Leg Copper JohnTonight’s tying session took a slight detour. I didn’t get a chance to finish the ...
09/30/2026

Tonight’s Tie — Rubber-Leg Copper John

Tonight’s tying session took a slight detour. I didn’t get a chance to finish the stoneflies I started last night—they’ll have to wait until tomorrow. It was just one of those hectic days with lots of interruptions.

So, I went with something I know I can knock out efficiently: the Rubber-Leg Copper John.

I put together about two dozen tonight, all tied on a TMC 2457, size 10, with a 1/8” salmon-pink bead.

Simple? Absolutely.
Effective? Without a doubt.

I’ve been tying a lot of these lately, and there’s a reason, they just work. The key is having the right color combinations and a good variety of options.

Another two dozen in the box tonight, and we’re still moving forward with production.

Super, super busy day at the tying desk. 🎣This is one of those stonefly patterns that just flat-out produces. It doesn’t...
09/29/2026

Super, super busy day at the tying desk. 🎣

This is one of those stonefly patterns that just flat-out produces. It doesn’t matter where you’re fishing or what river you’re on, this is a pattern I have a tremendous amount of confidence in.

I wanted to make sure I had plenty available for the International Fly Tying Symposium this November, and I’ll also have these on hand for the Fly Fishing Show in Edison this January.

For this batch, I tied them on a Daiichi 1760, size 10, paired with a 5/32” bead.

For the steelhead colors, I went with:

Hot Pink
Fluorescent Orange
Matte Black
Mocha/Espresso
Gold Brass

I knocked out 18 of each color—90 flies total, or 7½ dozen.

Whenever I’m tying a big batch of one pattern, I like to break the process down into stages. I’ll prep all the hooks with the bead and lead wire first, then go back through and build all of the abdomens. From there, I’ll return to the vise and finish the thoraxes. It keeps the process moving and makes it much easier to stay consistent when you’re tying large numbers.

Now it’s time to let these sit in the box and be patient. There’s no rush for the steelhead to show up. When the time is right, these will be ready and waiting to be presented to them!

Another member of the Copper John family, and another proven steelhead producer.The original Copper John was designed by...
09/27/2026

Another member of the Copper John family, and another proven steelhead producer.

The original Copper John was designed by John Barr, beginning in 1993 and refined over several years before he considered the pattern finished in 1996. What started as a heavily weighted fly designed to get down quickly became one of the most versatile nymph patterns ever developed.

From that original pattern came a whole family of variations including the Rubber Legs Copper John and the larger Jumbo John, which was specifically developed as a steelhead fly.

Today’s tie is a Rubber Leg Copper John in size 10, tied on a Daiichi 1120, with a red wire body, peacock thorax and rubber legs with Scud Skin for the wing case

For steelhead, color can make a big difference, which is one of the reasons I like having a good selection of Copper John variations in the box. Red, olive, blue, purple, pink and of course the original copper—all give you another option when conditions or fish preference change.

The beauty of the Copper John family is that the basic design stays the same, while the size, color, weight and materials can be changed to fit the water and the species you’re targeting. 🎣

Tying the days away and with the Nor’easter hitting this weekend, it will allow me to finally catch up as all outdoor ac...
09/26/2026

Tying the days away and with the Nor’easter hitting this weekend, it will allow me to finally catch up as all outdoor activities have been cancelled.

Some finished flies and some being prepped.

Stay safe out there, especially my family and friends on the East Coast, could get a little nasty out there! 👊🏻

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